1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus connected to a printer, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus in which an operator inputs a variety of items of setting information through a dialog screen having a plurality of tab sheets and the operator is informed of items of setting information inputted through the tab sheets. The present invention also relates to a method for setting printing information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers including personal computers (PCs) and work stations (WS) are commonly used as information processing apparatus that drive printers to print images. An information processing apparatus incorporates a variety of programs for printing operations: application programs and a printer driver program. The application programs are used for creating data including characters, graphics, and tables. The printer driver controls the printing operation of the printer.
The application program and printer driver have a displaying function for displaying a variety of preview images, thereby informing the operator of a variety of items of setting information about functions performed by the application program and the printer driver. For example, the application programs and printer driver are commonly configured to display “apparatus preview image” and “print image preview image.”
The function of displaying the “apparatus preview image” is performed when a preview image is displayed on a display unit, the preview image representing the information about the printer including configuration and functions of the printer and paper trays.
The function of displaying the “print image preview” is performed to show on the display unit the data including characters, graphics, and tables as it would look on the printed page.
For example, when the operator wants to print data including characters, graphics, and tables created by an application program, the operator inputs a variety of items of information about the printer driver, including size of an original, number of copies, orientation of the images, magnification, and print options. The print options include simplex printing, duplex printing, and N-up printing. The N-up printing is a printing layout where N individual output pages are formatted side-by-side across, for example, a print paper.
When inputting the setting information about the printer driver function, the operator operates the information processing apparatus to activate the printer driver. In response to the command from the operator, the information processing apparatus causes the displaying section to display a printing setting dialog screen that prompts the operator to input the setting information about the printer driver.
The “print setting dialog screen” is configured to display a setting information inputting area and a preview image displaying area. The “setting information inputting area” receives the setting information about the print driver from the operator. The setting information inputting area includes a radio button, a combo box, a check box, and a text box. The “preview image displaying area” is used for displaying a preview image. The preview image provides an easy-to-understand display of the setting information inputted into the setting input area.
The operator inputs the setting information about the printer driver through the printing setting dialog screen, so that the operator can check the input setting information by means of the preview image. For example, when the operator wants the printer to perform N-up printing, he inputs the setting information that specifies N-up printing. By means of the printing setting dialog screen, the printer driver drives the displaying section to display the printing image preview image in N-up form.
The operator looks at the preview image to check the input setting information. Upon checking that the input setting information is appropriate, the operator commands the information processing apparatus to perform printing.
In response to the command, the information processing apparatus generates plot data of data including characters, graphics, and tables, then produces print data based on the plot data, and finally sends the print data to the printer. In this manner, the information processing apparatus drives the printer to print images.
To support a variety of functions of the printer driver, the conventional information processing apparatus is often configured to display the printing setting dialog screen on the display unit, the printing setting dialog screen including a plurality of tab sheets having corresponding tabs. Each tab sheet has a preview screen that displays the setting information about the printer driver that has been inputted through that tab sheet, so that the operator is informed of the actual setting information about the printer driver inputted through that tab sheet.
The setting information about the printer driver is input on a tab sheet basis, and is therefore displayed on a tab sheet basis. Thus, when the operator is seeing a tab sheet, he has difficulty in obtaining the setting information input through other tab sheets.
For example, when the printing setting dialog screen is constituted of a plurality of tab sheets, a preview image unique to each tab sheet is displayed in a preview screen of the printing setting dialog screen, the preview image representing the setting information about the printer driver.
As described above, different tab sheets show different preview images. Therefore, when the operator wants to know the setting information that has been input through a tab sheet, the operator needs to open that tab sheet.
This causes inconvenience to the operator.